Reflection#14 Aristotle on Happiness

We are continuing to see the impact of Aristotle’s ideas today. His ideas in the Nicomachean Ethics are the basis for happiness in most all societies. To live a good life we do not need money and things in excess. To live a good life according to Aristotle we need only contemplate our role in the universe and try to fulfill that purpose. There is so much depression among those with wealth and fame in today’s society yet are they living a good life, if so they would be happy; believed Aristotle. To continue to do things that make you a bad person will not make you happy. Aristotle believed that excellence is a habit and to do things like help an old lady down the street habitually would increase your happiness. Drug dealers in society know that they are doing wrong and want to change, why? Not because they fear getting caught but because they know that these actions do not promote happiness. Another idea on happiness from Aristotle was continued education. The person who is a life learner will age gracefully as new and stimulating knowledge guarantees that you will have interesting conversations. When we are born we are born seeking knowledge. Once we stop looking for that knowledge we slowly begin to die as there is nothing left for us to do. The key point in Aristotle’s philosophy was excellence. To pursue moral excellence we must purse wisdom while avoiding evil. This idea is represented in today’s society with the saying that “absolute evil corrupts absolutely”. Excellence in wisdom is how you continue a happy life. Exercising your knowledge by pursing it continually is a good thing. Often we agree with an idea because we were taught to believe it. This is not the reasoning thinker that Aristotle hoped we could all be; this is a type of plagiarism. To come up with new and fresh ideas is apart of exercising your knowledge. This pursuit will only make you more excellent and thus happier in life.